There are two vital members of the healthcare team,
physician assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners (NPs), and they frequently do
similar duties.
PA and NP range of practice rests on the state laws, hospital rules, and choices
concerning team practice lay down by the supervising or collaborating
physician.
Kathy Magilvy, a RN/PhD/FAAN/FWAN professor and an associate dean for
academic programs at the University of Colorado, College of Nursing, in Denver,
said from her perspective, they are both important health professionals.
"There is not one that is better than the other.?
What is a Physician Assistant?
A PA's medical obligations run from basic primary care to high-technology
specialty procedures. They can also act as the first or second assistants in
surgery and render pre- and postoperative care.
State law controls the PA's functions and obligations rely on education,
experience, and practice setting. Physicians supervising them also have a say
in what aspects of care a PA takes part in, as they are oftentimes responsible
for relegating work.
PAs are schooled and credentialed as generalists with a medical care focus.
PA education adopts a medical model, similar to medical school training having
a shorter duration (average 115 weeks vs. 155 weeks).
The time it takes to become a PA depends on the program said Anita Duhl
Glicken, the associate dean for PA studies and director of the child health
associate/physician assistant program at the University of Colorado School of
Medicine, in Denver.
?There is considerable variability in this. For example, we are a three-year
program (36 months), with classroom and clinical experience integrated across
all three years.?
All PA students are being required by the Physician Assistant Education
Association (PAEA) to finish nine to 12 months of classroom studies and anther
nine to 15 months of monitored clinical rotations. It is a must for all PAs ?
excluding for those hired by the federal government and credentialed under a
separate system ? to be graduates from a recognized PA educational program and
has been endorsed by the National Commission on Certification of Physician
Assistants (NCCPA). To continue having their NCCPA certification, they must
recertify semi-annually.
What is a Nurse Practitioner?
NPs examine and care for common acute illnesses and injuries, in addition to
taking physical exams. They can give immunizations and deal with chronic
conditions covering hypertension or diabetes. Some can read X-rays and lab
tests. Besides clinical care, NPs can also advise patients in matters that
include health promotion, disease prevention, and health education.
Maglivy said that nursing perspective means they are interested in health as
seen holistically, not just the absence of disease. "We are focused on
individual patients/clients, as well as their families, communities and
populations. We view health as influenced by many factors such as biology,
genetics, environment, individual differences, family and community, and use a
nursing model as we care for patients and their families," she continues.
Students must first earn a registered nurse (RN) degree, before one can be
an NP. Most nurses do this by going through a program to obtain either an
associate's degree in nursing (ADN) or a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN). Following
this, aspiring nurses must take and pass the National Council Licensure
Examination for RNs (NCLEX-RN) to acquire a license in the state in which they prefer
to serve.
Nurses desiring to get a graduate degree in nursing must finish a BS or BSN
degree. After entering into a graduate program, an RN can then finish advanced
practice education to gain either a master of science (MS) or a doctor of
nursing practice (DNP).
If a student bids to go after a graduate education in nursing, he or she
must accomplish a BS or BSN degree in nursing. After finishing an advanced
practice nursing program, NPs must become board certified in a specialty field
of their choice.
According to the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, NPs have the power to
prescribe medications in all states - and recently14 states and the District of Columbia gave
NPs clearance to practice independently.